FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Winter’s firm grip on Fairfield County will remain as strong as ever through next week.

Thursday will be marked by a frigid wind chills with gusts as high as 30 mph and a high temperature in the high 20s, according to the National Weather Service. There is a chance of afternoon snow showers.

Frigid cold will then set in with overnight lows near zero and wind chills of 10 degrees below zero across Fairfield County.

After a sunny and cold day Friday with a high in the teens, temperatures will drop into the single digits again overnight. There is a chance of snow showers Saturday, and the potential exists for a major winter storm from Sunday evening into Monday evening. The National Weather Service currently puts the chance of snow at 60 percent to 70 percent for Sunday and Monday.

A hazardous weather outlook statement from the National Weather service calls for significant snowfall across the tri-state area from Sunday night into Monday night. There is a chance of a wintry mix at times during the day on Monday as well.

While it is too early to predict the storm’s impact, Accuweather.com has projected a possible accumulation of up to 6 inches.

The long-range forecast shows temperatures struggling to top the freezing mark through the end of next week, which is unseasonably low for early March in Fairfield County.

The state has activated its Severe Cold Weather Protocol due to the low temperatures and wind chills. It directs the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Department of Housing to coordinate with 2-1-1 and Connecticut’s network of shelters to ensure that the state’s most vulnerable population are protected from the severe cold weather.

“We must continue to protect the most vulnerable members of our state’s population during these severe cold weather outbreaks,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement. “I urge anyone in need of shelter to call 2-1-1 and encourage local communities to consider opening warming centers or other facilities to help people in need.”

The Mental Heatlh and Addiction Services Departmnent has teams who specialize in working with homeless people to locate those who are at risk, spread the word about the 2-1-1 system, and encourage everyone to take advantage of the safety of shelters.